Federal funds to pay for second track at Ballston Spa

﻿﻿﻿Federal funding will help pay for a second mainline track at Ballston Spa that will reduce delays and shorten travel time for Amtrak’s Adirondak and Ethan Allen Express services.

The announcement was made by U.S. Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-Rochester, founding co-chair of the Bicameral High-Speed & Intercity Passenger Rail Caucus in Congress.

“Adding track in Saratoga Springs and Ballston Spa will reduce congestion and improve reliability,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

New York State contributed $3.5 million to the project, and construction will begin later this spring.

\Freight traffic along the line between Albany and Montreal is expected to increase with the re-routing of CSX shipments over the tracks, which are owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway. Those shipments previously went through Syracuse and Watertown to reach Canada.

“New York is committed to moving forward with high-speed rail and these federal resources are an important step in that direction,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. “This project will help alleviate the frustrating delays near Ballston Spa that riders of Amtrak’s Vermont and Adirondack-bound trains have endured for too long.”